To have made up my own way to teach DD her letters/sounds?

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

She's just turned 5 in reception and is struggling with recognising letters. She knows some...but the images in the phonics methods and the movements don't help her recognise the sounds.

So you say "A a a" and she says "A a a ants on your arm" and she rememebers the movement but show her an a...nothing. Blank.

So last week I began to look at the letters she was struggling to retain...some of them included t m n and v.

I then said t looks like a tree...and I drew a tree beside a t....in the same shape but added a few leaves...she now always gets that one right. i did the same with n and m....and v....they're not as "neat" as t...v for instance...I made a v out of playdoh and Vroomed it around saying it was a Van...she never forgets that one. I did others too and she has improved massively....

Am I doing a "bad" thing though? Her teacher wants her to move on...and I guess she's worried about this phonics test they all get later on?

I don't know what else to do though. DD seems to not connect the phonics pics and actions with the sound and the image somehow...

If what you're doing is helping her, I can't see any reason why that would be a problem.
Once kids can read, they can read. I don't believe it matters how they get there. It may be a problem for the school if she doesn't join in the work during class, but if she's joining in and giving it her best shot, I can't see why your help wouldn't be seen as a good thing.

she is apparently and the teacher is supporting this by calling on her when she knows that dd knows the answer...

ck
e
h
r
m
d

ck (castanets)
e (egg)
h (out of breath)
r (rag)
m (mmmmmmmmm)
d (drum)

At that age my DD really struggled with letters/phonetics and it was so stressful. I realised that she just was not ready to learn this and told the school that we would not be doing any more of this type of homework but i was happy for them to continue the class teaching. They were happy with this.

Fast forward 10 years she is now an avid reader and predicted an A* in her English GCSE.

Kids learn things at different times. Your DD will get there. It sounds like you are doing a great job.

thanks whitebag.....the thing is, DD really enjoys it...she seems to like the challenge and I make it fun. At the first sign of her attention wandering, I stop.

Tonight she seemed to have picked up a few more letters...I'll see if they "stick"

I'm not worried really as she's very bright and articulate but I don't like the idea of her noticing she's not getting as far ahead as the majority of her peers.

It's odd though....she can sound out some words...so in effect SORT of "read" ....she "read" "Cat" "Hat" and "Is" ..you know..."C...A...T...cat!" type of thing.

Whatever works fr you child. Each child is different and learns differently

Please do not worry about the effing phonics test! School should not be bothering you about this at all, let alone in reception. It is their problem not yours.
I'm a primary teacher and I hate this test culture. She is 5 for gods sake.
Keep doing what works for her, jolly phonics is only useful it it actually helps!

Also phonics are not the b all end all of reading.
Some children learn to read by sight. Ie. learn words rather than sounds.
I did!

If she finds physical letters easier to get, have you tried getting some of those foam bath letters, my daughter finds holding them, and the different colours really help. And doing letter play in the bath makes it all fun, and not to academic.

I've designed a product to help kids learn phonics, I'm in the market research stage, they are in 3 schools and feedback positive. just recieved my en71 toy standard so all safe. I'll send you a pack if you would like & you could fill out questionnaire after using them for month. Pm me if you would like a freebie!

I teach English to 11-18 year olds. My mother teaches primary age kids. Neither of us had the joyful experience of Jolly Phonics or whatever it's referred to as now. She teaches it and swears by it. I have the kids that come up from primary and still can't seem to read or write properly because phonics have been the sole method. Children are all different and need different approaches. I'm teaching my girls both ways (A is ay or ah) and have also come up with ways to help them remember T (making the 'Time Out' sign with my hands) R- (helping them think the curve of the r is a rabbit with its paws curled over) etc.. Do whatever works to help your child read.

Shera thank you I would like that v much...I'll try anything and as I said, I can't afford to keep buying stuff! I have made everything we're using and some of it is a bit...ahem...DD insisted b is for BUM! And made me add a bottom to the flashcard but that badly drawn bum has ensured she remembers what a b looks like!

Shelley ...sounds like what I'm doing! I will take your rabbit paw and try that!